(The author of this book provided a free uncorrected galley copy for an unbiased review.)
Plagues permitting, the shiny gorgeous Tor Books* trade paperback of K.A. Doore’s THE UNCONQUERED CITY will be out this summer. Having read library and friends’ copies of the first two books, I plan on buying hard copies of all three.
They’re worth it. The stories within are all linked in two major ways: centered around the distantly post-apocalyptic desert city of Ghadid, and told largely through the eyes of a clan of charming, personable assassins.
Yep. Assassins. You’ll like them.
You can read TUC on its own and not lose much ground. But don’t cheat yourself. The first two books help ground the third.
I seem to have a Thing for desert-set fantasy lately. Doore spent some time in Arizona Sonoran Desert, and the familiarity shows. So does the hint of real world Terran places and cultures.
I also have a Thing for characters who affectionately squabble among themselves but always have each other’s backs. The Ghadid clan of assassins all refer to each other as ‘cousin’, and they’ve all had to reinvent themselves as the ghoul-hunting saviors of their city.
TUC follows Illi, a young assassin-trained misfit thrown into a desperate quest to destroy an ancient demonic spirit before it annihilates humanity.
Given the usual depth of Doore’s writing, things aren’t that simple. The (multiple) antagonists all have solid reasons for their actions. Illi has to balance duty and honor with a wonderfully supportive and well written *genderfluid* love interest.
In short, this book completes the interwoven stories of the first two. There is plenty of hair raising, high stakes action within a twisting plot.
Pre-order here.
* Tor has somewhat redeemed itself from recent debacles, with these books.